Packaging of dry-sealing envelopes



Oct. 15, 1940. v. E. HEYwooD PACKAGING OF DRY-SEALING ENVELOPES I Filed My 2o, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ,9 lzJ IIIIIIIIIIII l. f

maan/r- /h/aao? lav @M Patented oet. 1s, 1940 UNITED s'raras l2.21am l nonsense or foar-same nNvsLorss Vincent E. Heywood, Worcester,

to United States Envelope Company. eld, Mass.. a corporation of Maine Mall.. assignee Shilli- ,Appuaauon May 2o. 193s. sei-MN. sans s cnam. (c1. zus-ss) The present invention relates in general to the packaging of stationery, and more particularly to packaging of dry-sealing envelopes. In such an envelope, as is well known. the sealing is ob- 5 tained without any `need for moistening Aor wetting of an adhesive area, by effecting contact of two complemental areas, both coated with a special dry-sealing adhesive.

Dry-sealing envelopes are characterized by the m provision of correspondingly shaped areas of dry-sealing adhesive on diiIerent parts of each envelope, and special precautionsV have to be taken in packing and handling such envelopes, in

order to prevent accidental engagement between l" these adhesive areas. prior tothe loading and sealing of the envelopes. To this end, it has4 been proposed to employ extra flaps, or to perform specialI folding operations on-the envelopes. with resulting increase of manufacturing costs. Fur- 20 thermore, the utilization of the above expedients for preventing accidental yengagement between the adhesive areas, necessitates unaccustomedV manipulations of such envelopes by their users,

n in order to purposely bring-the 'dry-sealing ad- -5 hesive areas into-contact for sealing.

My invention eliminates the above-mentioned diiiiculties, by packaging the dry-sealing envelopes in a novel mode or manner, viz., by asso- ;,J ciating or assembling witheach envelope ofthe package the enclosure, part, or piece ofstationery, that is destined to be received in the envelopes pocket, the association being such as to prevent any accidental contact betweenV the dry-sealing adhesive areas of the envelope. Furthermore, the manner of packaging is such as to provide, in a form most convenient for use, similar units each consisting of a'dry-sealing envelope and its ultimate enclosure. 'I'he above and otheradvan- 4" tageous features of the invention will hereinafter more fully appear from the following description, considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an assembly of i" dry-sealing envelopes, packaged' inl accordance with the present invention." A

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a number of eri-I velopes, packed as in Fig. l."

Figs'. 3 and 4 are sectional views similar toy Fig. f 2. showingdifferent V relations between the envelopes and enclosure sheets. f

Figs. 3a 'and 4aare perspectiveviews, partly broken away, of units corresponding to those de picted, respectively, byrigs. 3 anda. l

. Fig. is a perspective view -ofa modiiied form of packaging. Fig. 6 is ya. sectional view rof. a number of envelopes, packed as in Fig. 5.

so Figs. '1., 8 and 9 are sectional views similar to alternating relation thereto, with the area of each Fig. 6, showingdiiferent relations-between the envelopes and enclosure' sheets.

Figs. 7a, 8a and 9a are perspective views. partly broken away, of units corresponding to those depicted, respectively, by Figs. '1. 8 and 9.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view, showing a further modification in the manner of packaging.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view of one of the. units of Fig. l0. 'Y

Fig. 11a. is a perspective view, partly broken 10 away, of the unit shown in Fig. l1.

Like reference charactersv refer to like parts in the different figures.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2,V a number of dry-sealing envelopes I are shown arranged in a 15 package, with each envelope having its seal flap 2 in open or extended position. and with the body and flap ofV each envelope i providing correspondingly shaped dry-sealing adhesive areas 3 and l. By the term dry-sealing adhesive," is meant any adhesive which, when in a dry condition, has the property of adhering to itself upon non-moistened contact, although not so adhering when brought into contact with the materials commonly employed in the manufacture of envelopes, or other 95 containers. y

In lpackaging the dry-sealing envelopes l, in accordance with the present invention, enclosure sheets 5 are assembled between the envelopes, in w sheet substantially the same as the combined areas of an envelope body and its extended seal flap 2. The assembled envelopes I and sheets 5, can be held together as a complete package in any suitable manner, as by means of a band B, or by4 paclclng in a box, or holder, and obviously, there will be no possibility of the dry-sealing adhesive areas yand l coming into accidental engagement while an lenvelope and its associated sheet is in the package. 40 VThe sheets, 5 maybe in the form` ofl writing paper, or other types of enclosures, and the assembled units, each consisting of an envelope and its associated sheet, can be withdrawn from the package, as required for use. Y The fact that each envelope i'is packed flat, with its seal flap exftended, permits the sheet to be readily inserted therein. after being written upon and folded,

sealing of. the envelope being quickly accomplished by foldingover the flap 2 to bring the-adhesive areas sand I into engagement, accompanied by `p1'essu1e.i. s

In the arrangemeni'. shown'by Figs.3 and 3a,

Zflap 2 extended, `and with a sheet, 5a inserted in and .projectingy from the ,envelope pocketthe projecting portionv of said sheet covering the adhesive area 4 of theiiap. A partlcular'advantage of this arrangement is the close association of uo each unit consists of adry-sealing envelope, with 5,-, .t

the sheet with its enveldpe. enabling the parts to be handled in unison without the danger of becoming accidentally separated.

Inthearrangementshownbylligaiandm, the sheets lb are substantially double the area of the sheets la, and are folded at their middle. In assembling the package, each sheet Ib is folded vto enclose an envelope with its extended seal flap,

so that a folded sheet and envelope can be conveniently removed from the package in that relation.

Figs. 5 and 6 show a package of stationery consisting of a plurality of dry-sealing envelopes 1 contained in a box I; in this instance, each envelopes seal flap I, instead of being extended as in the previously-described forms of the invention, is folded down over the envelopes back wall, the latter having an area il of dry-sealing adhesive in complemental relation to asimilar area I2 of dry-sealing adhesive on the seal flap I. However, no premature or accidental contact of the areas Ii and I2 can occur, because each unit of the illustrated package includes, in addition to the envelope itself, a sheet Il interpod between the folded-over seal flap I and the envelope's back wall, said sheet Il serving, until removed for insertion within the envelope pocket, to keep the dry-sealing adhesive areas Il and I! out of engagement.

The sheets i'l may be provided in the form of correspondence cards, each having an area slightly less than the body of an envelope 1, and an envelope and its associated card may be readily removed from the box together by seizing the en velope at its upper folded-over edge, thus keeping the unit intact because its seizure includes the upper edge of the sheet or card Il. After the card has been written upon, it is readily inserted in the envelope, and sealing accomplished by folding down the ap l to bring the dry-sealing adhesive areas il and l2 into contact, accompanied by the application of pressure.

The arrangement shown in Figs. 7 and la is the same as that last dcrlbed, except that the interposed sheet element of each unit takes the form of a double letter sheet IlaL folded upon itself, with the folded edge inserted between the seal nap 9 and body of the envelope, to separate the dry-sealing adhesive areas il and I2. As shown in Figs. 8 and 8a, the folded sheet ila is reversed to bring its fold at the bottom of the envelope body, with the opposed parts of the sheet disposed on opposite sides of the seal flap l.

. In the arrangement shown by Figs. 9 and 9a,

' the sheet element of each unit is a folded sheet Ill. preferably having two folds, with one portion of the sheet inserted in the envelope pocket, and the other two portions disposed between the body and the seal ilap I to separate the dry-sealing adhesive areas Il and I2. 'I'he arrangement of Figs. 9 and 9a has the advantage of making it possible to extend the major portion of the sheet lilb, for the purpose of writing upon it, without removing the remainder of the sheet from the envelope pocket. That is to say, in such a unit the sheet element that prevents premature or accidental contact of the dry-sealing adhesive areas Ii and i2 provides a portion which has substan- .tially permanentV occupancy of the envelope pocket-this permitting the unit to be kept intact at all times. It is then only necessary to tuck the portions of the sheet that have been written upon into the envelope pocket, and fold over the flap l to accomplish sealing. Thus, the envelope of Figs.9and9amaybeloadedandsealed inasubstantially continuous operation.

Referring nowto Figs. i0, i1 and 11a the inventionisshownasbeinaappliedtothepackaslngof dry-sealing envelopes Il in conilmction with folded sheets il, each positioned with the fold along one side of the envelope to receive the seal ilap il between the portions of the sheet il. A folded sheet of this character is well adapted for use as a greeting card, and the portions of the sheet on either side of the fold line may be of different lengths, so that printed matter on both portions will be exposed, even when folded.

As shown in Fig. 11, the envelope tip of the seal iiap Il provide opposed dry-sealing adhesive areas 4Il and I'I, respectively, which are separated in the package by one portion of the sheet I 4. Envelopes and sheets, packed as shown in Fig. l0, can be wrapped in a transparent covering Il (Pig. lla), for merchandising purposes, so that the customer sees not only the printed material on the sheets Il, but also a portion of the uppermost envelope. The packaging of drysealing envelopes, in association with greeting cards, is very advantageous from the users standpoint, since a large number of envelopes can be loaded and quickly sealed, without the application of moisture.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that by the present invention I have provided improvements in the packaging dry-sealing envelopes or other containers, in association with various forms of enclosure sheets to be used with the envelopes, that reduce to a minimum the possibility of accidental contact between the dry-sealing areas. In the following claims, the term dry-sealing envelope" means any envelope or similar container, adapted te be sealed by bringing its complemental dry-sealing adhesive areas into contact, while the term "enclosure sheet means a member or element of any kind of materialcontained by or insertable in an envelope pocket, including cards, letter sheets and writing Papers, as well as circulars or return forms, with or without printing.

I claim,

1. A package of stationery consisting of a plurality of substantially identical units, each unit comprising, in combination, an envelope having complemental areas of dry-sealing adhesive on opposite sides of the line of fold of said envelopes closure flap and an element in the form of a piece of stationery in association with said envelope, with folded portions of said element embracing the dry-sealing adhesive areas of the envelope to prevent premature or accidental contact of said complemental dry-sealing adhesive areas.

2. The improvement in the packaging of drysealing envelopes, which consists in assembling a plurality of envelopes, each having complementa] areas of dry-sealing adhesive on opposite sides of the fold line of its closure nap, with folded enclosure sheets alternately disposed between the envelopes and having portions embracing the dry-sealing adhesive areas of the envelopes.

3. The improvement in the packaging of drysealing envelopes, each having complemental areas of dryadhesive on opposite sides of the fold line of its closure flap, which consists in assembling said envelopes alternately with folded sheets of stationery each having portions embracing the folded over closure ap of an envelope, to prevent premature or accidental contact between overlying dry-sealing adhesive areas in the package.

VINCENT E. HEYWOOD. 

